Kolkata Rape – Murder Case 2024: India Demands Justice 

An inhumane incident took place on 9 August 2024 in Kolkata which created terror in the hearts of each existing individual in India and forced the entire country to think about what kind of society we are living in. This catastrophic incident has had the deepest impact on the women of our society who are finding themselves feeling extremely destitute again and again.

The Kolkata murder-rape case at government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Belgachia, West Bengal happened on 9 August 2024. It is also known as, the” R.G. Kar Incident “. 

A 31-year-old, postgraduate trainee doctor, ( name hidden), was found missing by her colleagues. Later she was found dead in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College campus, where she went to take a rest after a tiring 36-hour shift without a break. The body was found in a semi-nude deplorable state and her genitals, eyes, nose, belly, right hand, ring finger, and legs were deeply wounded and bleeding. 

Disturbingly terrible details were brought to light after the post-mortem. The report which was submitted to the Calcutta high court mentioned that around 151 milligrams of semen was found in the vaginal swab.  

 The additional general secretary of the All India Federation of government doctors’ Association, Dr. Subarna Goswami told India Today. The 4-page long report also mentioned perverted sexuality, genital torture,  fracture of the thyroid cartilage due to strangling, and scratches on the face of the victim, indicating she was trying to defend herself. It was also discovered that the victim’s mouth and neck were pressed with major force to prevent her from screaming. Her eyes were deeply injured as well. 

The post-mortem report was indicative of the fact that this was,t a case of murder but rape. The presence of an abnormal amount of semen in the victim’s body suggested that she was brutally attacked, raped, tortured, and then murdered by more than one person. 

According to the report, the victim was hit severely which resulted in her spectacles breaking and the glass pieces piercing her eyes. There is also mention of bite marks being found on her body, which reveals the horror of the sexual assault. 

The victim’s head was banged against the wall multiple times resulting in bleeding and injuries. 

Sanjay Roy is considered accused in Kolkata Rape Murder Case.

During the police investigation, a Bluetooth headset was found at the crime scene. Based on this, on August 9, the police arrested an accused named Sanjay Roy. The accused has been married four times and has been accused of being a womanizer and domestic abuser. On checking his phone history, disturbing Pornography was also found. 

According to Kolkata Police, he confessed to his crime but according to his mother, he has not done anything like this and he is being implicated in all this. Sanjay Roy is a trained boxer and has connections with some high-ranking officials in Kolkata Police. He joined Kolkata Police as a civic volunteer in 2019 and has a history of being a member of the Police Welfare Board.

Due to dissatisfaction with the investigation done so far by the Kolkata Police, when this matter reached the Kolkata High Court, on 13 August 2024, the Kolkata High Court ordered the State Police to hand over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Amidst the protests happening to get justice in the Kolkata Rape Murder Case 2024, R. G. Kar medical college and hospital principal, Dr. Sandip Ghosh resigned from his post stating that he was getting damaged on social media and the victim was like his daughter. So as a parent, he resigns.  

Very shortly after resigning, Dr. Sandip Ghosh was appointed as the principal of another prestigious medical college, Calcutta National Medical College. The student body protested against this decision and it sparked outrage among the citizens as well.  On 13 Aug, Calcutta High Court condemned the re-appointment giving direction to keep Dr. Sandip Ghosh on extended leave.

After this heart-wrenching news, the entire country is taking to the streets demanding justice. This incident is being widely covered by the media. Rallies and candle marches are being organized by the students, citizens, and especially by the medical community.

To demand justice in Kolkata Rape – Murder case, express their emotions, and convey their demands for protection, stricter laws, and bringing real change, the doctors of India are on strike. On 13 August, Government doctors of Maharashtra went on strike. There were protests organized by the junior doctors of New Delhi outside major government hospitals. 

Such protests were being held outside many major hospitals like AIIMS Delhi, RML hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, FAIMA, Indira Gandhi Medical College Dwarka and R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital as well.

The strike stopped for 2 days after a group of IMA delegates met the Union health minister J. P. Nadda. However, it was reported the protesters at R. G . Kar Medical College had to face violence from the police, which compelled the Federation of Resident Doctors Association ( FRODA) to resume their strike.  On midnight of 15  August, a group of unidentified individuals forcefully entered the hospital premises, throwing stones and vandalizing the area where the victim’s body was found.  To control that situation teargas and baton charges were used by the police against the crowd.

 Doctors of India went on a nationwide strike on 17 August  2024 initiated by IMA, joined by students of Medical Colleges, citizens, and healthcare workers.  OPD services and elective surgery services were canceled.

Hospitals and Clinics of Delhi, Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, all unite and demand justice. 

They pose fair questions – “ Why isn’t our country safe enough for women to work?”,” If this happened inside a hospital that is second home to us, where are we safe now?” 

Handwritten posters of, “We want justice”, and “ No safety, No Duty” were held by the protestors. 

The IMA (Indian Medical Association), responded to the situation by introducing a special central law, which will prevent violence against doctors, with the help of Union Health Minister J.P.Nadda.

TMC and Mamta Banerjee are facing criticism and allegations by the opposition, the Indian Medical Association, and the country itself. They have failed to provide proper security and protection in West Bengal. It was identified that there was a possibility of an attempt by the State Police to destroy the evidence.

It was found that the hospital management intentionally tried to frame the case as a suicide. The body of the victim wasn’t handed over to the parents for 3 hours. 

Dr. RV Ashokan national president of the Indian Medical Association Pens down an emotional open letter, “  We failed her in life”. 

Expressing his emotions in the letter he writes,  “ We as a nation did not let Her down in death. It is difficult to capture the mood of the nation. Anger revulsion, frustration, and helplessness. 

 For once INDIA  understood her doctors correctly. She was on 36 hours of duty. Had dinner at 2:00 a.m. before retiring to the makeshift beds in the seminar room adjacent to the ward. The only daughter of lower-middle-class parents. The orphaned doctor name plates at the entry remain the vestige of the family’s Pride. Simple archetypical Indian parents. Inconsolable. Lost the meanings and purpose of life. Innocent and naive with the trust like children.”

Further, he says,  “ The streets were empty.  Fear hung in the air. Few conscientious youth protested in a corner. Strange eerie silence………

“ We invoke the right to life. Let doctors live. Tryst with Destiny had not been redeemed in full measure.  It left out the doctors.” lived by

“WE LIVE TO FIGHT BACK”

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo moto cognizance in Kolkata Rape Murder Case 2024. A bench composed of Chief Justice Of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the R. G. Kar case on 20 August. 

The Victim’s Lawyer while presenting the case said that the hospital management tried to mislead the parents and cremated their daughter in a rush to destroy evidence. The parents told the court that there were 3 more bodies to be cremated but the victim’s body was cremated hurriedly. He mentioned how they couldn’t think objectively about this at that moment. 

The father also mentioned how the hospital administration did not cooperate with them, which added to their trouble. 

“ The entire department is responsible for my daughter’s murder…. We suspect some people in the department were involved in the crime”, he said. 

The father of the victim in Kolkata Rape Murder Case 2024 refused to take any compensation from the government.  

Mamta Banerjee was accused of vandalism in the medical college by TMC goons, by the Victim’s lawyer. Amidst the criticism and public outrage directed towards CM Mamta Banerjee, her 2012 statement resurfaced on social media, which she gave as a reaction to Kolkata’s Park Street area rape case.

Mamta had said, “Rape cases are on the Rise because boys and girls interact more freely now.  Earlier, if men and women held hands, they would be caught and reprimanded by parents but now everything is so open .” This resurfaced statement fueled public anger and she faced extreme backlash on social media.

According to the latest updates,  Sanjay Roy the main accused, who was a civic volunteer,  in the Kolkata Rape murder case in 2024 will be psychologically assessed by a team of behavioral analysts who have arrived in Kolkata to conduct the tests. The team is from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory ( CFSL) situated in Delhi. 

Further CBI has questioned the former principal for 13 hours and asked him questions about his intent behind ordering for renovation of the rooms near the seminar hall, where the victim’s body was found.

3D laser mapping is being conducted by the CBI in the Emergency ward of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Sec 13 of the Bhatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been imposed to maintain law and order near the R G Kar Medical College and hospital for a week. 

This will be followed from August 18. 

The mother of the deceased victim opened up and expressed her anger on the West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee for the delay in justice.

57 individuals have been summoned by the police for speeding false rumors and information about the incident. Dr, Kunal Shekhar and Dr, Subarna Goswami have been asked to appear at the Lalbazar Kolkata Police Headquarters at 3 pm on Sunday. 

The nation is unitedly demanding justice. Bengali Actors and Filmmakers have joined the protests. A few famous names are Arindam Sil, Kaushik Ganguly, Churni Ganguly, and Saheb Chatterjee. Others have shown concern over social media. 

The Parents of the deceased victim have thanked the nation for the support and protests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi got an Open letter from 70 Padma Awardees. They expressed,  “deep concern and profound anguish”  asking the PM as the head of the nation to look after the case personally.

“ Such acts of brutality shake the very foundations of service by medical professionals and highlight the urgent need to address violence, particularly against women, girls, and healthcare professionals,” said the letter.

Such is the horror of the reality in our country. This incident has forced all of us to ask ourselves questions. What kind of society are we moving towards? A society where our mothers and sisters are not safe.

There is a need for strict laws, government inventions, proper enforcement, security facilities, and harsh punishments against rapists. But we need to look deeper. Each individual will have to participate to bring real change in the society. Let us begin from our homes. Let us recheck our morals, and ethics, teach our sons to respect women, stand against the patriarchal mindset, and call out victim blaming.

We shouldn’t casually let go of the jokes where rape and sexual assault are being trivialized. We should have an open conversation regarding these topics and not treat them as taboo.

It’s heartbreaking once you give a thought to how normalized it is in our society for women to carry pepper spray, knives, and other disguised self-protection tools with them. 

Let us work together and bring a real change. We must not tolerate petty behavior. Be the change you want to see. This is the way forward.  We should strive towards bringing real change in society and make this world a better place to live in.